If you’re launching a new small business, chances are you’re on a tight budget. If you’re working from home (a smart option!), you’ll want the best your money can buy when it comes to office equipment, and that means you will need a printer that can not only handle the job, but you’ll want one that will also provide you with hassle-free printing. For the best bang for your money, you’ll probably want an all-in-one printer that also scans and copies. If you have tech-savvy personnel, you may also want to purchase a wireless printer.

Basic Considerations
You should consider how fast you want your printer to print, and whether or not you’ll need to print high-quality color documents or photos. Know how much money you can afford to spend up front as well your printing budget over time. Inkjets usually offer lower initial costs, which is great if you’re strapped for immediate cash, but they will end up costing you more in the long run with the cost of ink cartridges that need frequent replacing. Although color laser printers have become more affordable in recent years, they still cost significantly more than most inkjets and remain cost-prohibitive for many small businesses and entrepreneurs.

What Will Your Business Print?
When deciding on what kind of printer to purchase for your small business start-up, you need to consider what kind of printing your business will do and how much you plan to print on a regular basis. If your business will only print a few documents in a day or week, you aren’t likely to need something that will stand up to heavy duty printing or has a high page per minute count. However, if your business will be printing a lot of documents or marketing materials on a regular basis, you’ll need to find a printer that can handle a lot of printing without breaking down or costing you an arm and a leg in ink. You should also know up front if you’ll need high-quality photo printing capabilities, or the ability to scan. While having a scanner is a good idea for any business since it allows you to make copies easily, not every business will need the ability to print photos.

Who’s Operating this Printer?
Another important factor you should consider is your staff. If you’re the sole operator of your business and not likely to take on more employees in the near future, you’ll only need to give consideration to yourself when selecting your printer. However, if you have others working for you or with you, you may also want to think about the level of technological proficiency of your staff members when selecting your printer. Pick out something that everyone will be able to operate with ease so you don’t end up with a lot of wasted paper or ink – which equals wasted money – because some staff members don’t understand how to operate the printer properly.

Conclusion: Comparison Shop Before You Buy
Do some comparison shopping online, or in brick-and-mortar electronics stores. Look at the features and benefits of different printers, and find the ones that suit your needs best while still remaining affordable. If you can, wait for a sale so that you can get the best deal.

Guest post contributed for StickyInkShop.co.uk – visit the website for more printer information.